Page 57 of The Unwanted Mate of the Lycan Kings (Unwanted #1)

“No one fucking touches her,” he growls, his voice booming loudly, the threat behind his words clear.

Peering up at Regan, there’s a fire in his eyes, a fierce determination to protect me despite the confusion he’s feeling.

Gnash also growls, dropping his head and baring his teeth, daring them to come closer.

The guards hesitate, glancing at one another in uncertainty. They know that defying the king’s orders is treason, but they also know that crossing Regan would be a grave mistake. They’re caught between loyalty to their king and fear of Regan’s wrath.

King Theron’s face turns an ugly shade of red as he realizes Regan is defying him.

“You would protect this...this witch?” he snarls, his voice dripping with venom.

Regan stands his ground, his eyes never leaving his father’s. “She’s not the one who cursed us, Father. And I won’t let you hurt her. Not like you did Litha!”

As tension fills the room, I can’t help but feel a mixture of fear and gratitude toward Regan. He’s risking everything to protect me, even though he doesn’t fully understand the truth behind the runes that cover me.

The standoff between Regan and King Theron seems to last an eternity.

The air is thick with tension and uncertainty.

The guards shift uneasily, clearly unsure of how to proceed.

They can sense that they’re standing on a precipice, and one wrong move could tip the balance and send them all spiraling into chaos.

Regan refuses to back down, his jaw clenched, and his eyes locked on his father’s.

Zeke, still holding on to me, doesn’t seem to care about the surrounding conflict, but his grip on me never wavers.

The mysterious man who entered with King Theron, who had been silent until now, speaks up. “Your Majesty,” he says cautiously, “Perhaps we should discuss this matter privately before making any rash decisions.”

King Theron hesitates for a moment, and his eyes flick between Regan and the stranger. The tension in the room is tangible, but it’s clear that Theron knows he needs to tread carefully. If he pushes Regan too far, he won’t be able to stop him from killing his guards.

Finally, Theron nods, his eyes narrowing. “Just like Litha, she has you brainwashed,” King Theron mutters. His face contorts with rage. The accusation hangs heavily in the air, and Regan’s expression darkens further.

“She’s a witch,” Theron says again.

“I don’t care.”

“It’s her kind that is responsible for the curse, and you dare go against me to defend one?”

“She’s not responsible for the curse, Father. You are!” Regan booms, taking a threatening step forward. The guards surround the king and step back. Regan’s words hang in the air, tension mounting when he speaks again. “Isn’t that right, Father?”

My brows furrow, and I glance at Regan and then to King Theron, who clenches his jaw.

“Is that why you hate witches, Father? Because they can see through your bullshit? Because Litha sold you out? That war was never a means of revenge for my grandfather. You wanted to shut her up!”

“You know nothing of what you speak of!” Theron snarls, taking a step forward. The stranger grips the King’s shoulder, and so does Malachi beside him in a warning.

“Go on, tell them why you really killed King Edgar and Queen Litha...Tell them about your part in the curse. You condemn anyone who stands against you, including us, but this entire thing is your fault because you couldn’t keep your dick in your fucking pants!” Regan yells at him.

“Tread carefully, son. You are taking this too far!” Theron snarls.

“And that still wouldn’t be as far as you.

” Regan reaches down, grabbing my arm. Zeke reluctantly lets go.

“Just remember, Father, we aren’t the only ones cursed.

There are seven sins, and we only make six.

..” Regan snarls. King Theron looks away, and his teeth clench while I try to remember the seven cardinal sins and which one is missing.

Sloth

It is selfish and self-pitying, as it involves not only a lack of effort but also a lack of care for others. And I know Sloth is closely related to pride, as it involves a lack of humility and refusal to accept responsibility.

I thought the three brothers all held that one together, and in some ways, they do, but after hearing Regan’s words, it makes me wonder if King Theron is one of the sins along with his sons.

“Maybe instead of leaving Litha with all the blame, you should accept some of it yourself. She wasn’t the one who made you fuck Shelley! All she did was catch you,” Regan sneers and Zeke gasps.

Regan clutches me to him and offers his hand to Zeke, who hesitantly takes it.

He pulls his brother to his feet, while King Theron glares daggers at his son.

Regan, however, is unfazed by his father’s anger, even when King Theron steps into his path, his eyes are on me.

His hand moves toward my face when Zeke suddenly grips his father’s wrist, and Regan tugs me behind him.

“You want her? You’ll have to go through me,” Regan growls.

“You think I won’t?” Theron snarls at his son, standing chest-to-chest with him.

Even still, Regan has a good foot height on him and more bulk.

“I know you won’t. You’ve never been one to get your hands dirty, Sloth.

That’s what you have your sons for...

” Regan sneers before barging past his father.

Regan leads me toward the stairs, Zeke flanking my back and Gnash at my heels, peering over my shoulder as I climb the stairs. King Theron glares at me.

“She’ll kill you all!” he yells after his sons, who ignore him. Yet, my mind is reeling with everything that happened, and Zeke’s must be too because he speaks the moment we step into the corridor.

“Is what you said about Shelley true?” Zeke questions. Regan ignores him, and instead tugs me along, yet it explains why Regan seems to hate Shelley so much.

“Regan!” Zeke says, trying to keep up.

“I’m leaving, and I’m taking Zirah,” Regan tells him.

“Regan wait...” Zeke calls, but Regan doesn’t, instead he scoops me up, crushing me to his chest and wrapping my legs around his waist. Zeke staggers through the corridor behind us, using the walls to help hold himself.

“Regan, you can’t leave him,” I murmur and Regan growls.

“You seriously want me to help him after what he did to you?”

I can’t believe I am asking him to, and I use the same excuse they have given me countless times. “He’s your brother.”

Regan grits his teeth and stops. “Fuck!” he curses, turning back when we hear a pained groan.

Behind us, Lyon staggers down the stairs. “What’s going on?” he rasps, his clothes soaked from the shower, and he is covered in blood.

Regan shakes his head. “We’re leaving!” Regan informs them before going back and grabbing Zeke’s arm and looking at me. “All of us...”